Phonograph



Aug. 10, 1943. M. L DI TOR@ 2,326,625

PHONOGRAPH' File Jah. 28. 1938' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EFI n |I f 74 77 75 |NVENTOR Mun? FCOAMMYfn-e A TORNEY Aug. l0, 1943.

PHONOGRAPH Fild Ja. 28, 3938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y 1 ll z "18 |NVENTOR TTOVRNEY l M J. DI rogo y 2,326,625

'Patented Aug. V1o, 1943 PHoNooRAPH .lllichaelVV Di Toro, East OrangeQN. J., assigner to Thomas A. Edison, noorlgxorated,-` West, Orange, N. J^g corp`oration of NewJei'sey Application YJanuary 28, iosaseriaiNp. 1813581' 5 f This invention relates 'to phonographs, and inl many aspeCts'has especial reference to phonographs ofthe type Y adapted for bothth'e recordation and reproduction of sound. Thejin vention has beenillustrated, and has especial utility, in connection with phonographs wherein the record is of a form (a wax'lcylinder, vby Way of example) adapted to be recordediipon, and' reproduced from, by appropriate respective` styli in engagement therewith. According-to one`as`.`

pect of the invention, a common translatingde!A vice for recordation and reproduction; having a;`

common translating unit for actiatil igt the recording stylus and for responser to thereproducing stylus, is employed; and while vsuchf af translating device and its translating unit propermay be of any form appropriate to an ultimate` Y acoustic-*mechanical translation,V there has been particularly .illustrated an electro-'mechanical translating device and unit, forractuationfby andA production of sound-representing electricoscijlla-k tions. Y Y

It isanoolc-ject of my'inventionto`V provide', ina

phonograph, an improved arrangement* of the translating device relative to the record.

Itis vanother object to provide Aanimproved and simplified common translating deviceior both recordation and reproduction.

It is another object to provide van improved selective 'control of a4 common translating device' for both recordation andreproduction. w it is anotherV object `to provide improved and simplified means for eecting and eliminating a certain freedom of movement of a common translating device, as required for its proper're.

spective 'actions, It is another object to provide a novel and im-N proved assembly of a common translating device with the' carriage therefor;

' AIt is another'object toY providef an improvedV and simplified arrangement for imparting the;l

requisite biases tothe translating' :`levic e stylh It is another object'toprovidean improvedar- Arangement oiv ajtranslating deviceiorreed'om of'V movement record.

or, its reproducing stylus along :the

' Itis another object to provide Van improvediafi d' 4 Y. sim'pliiied arrangement for biasing suehfa ref"5 producing stylus Vto a'n'iean 'position wijbl'iiri"its` free-movementrange.

It is another lobject to an improved:arrange-` ment for biasing the reproducing 'stylus at oncei to a mean position in such rangeand againstjthe; Y

record. A It is another object to provide especially simple renna@ (orare-fsm Vmeans for holding both.the.irecording and the reproducingstylirin a translating devi :e, yll1i le. r providing the'prop'er respective: couplings of each to the 'A active translating.k unit.

V-It is another object to provide for holding a reproducingtstylus. in` 'ar translating device. Y

- AIt is another objectA to provide janp relectrome,

chanical translatingdevice and unit ofimproved eiiiciency lfonphonographic` reproduction, and for jointfrecordation-and reproductiong l VIt'y is another objecttolprovide' apiezo-electric' phonographic translating unit, for either repro7- duction' or arecord ati`o'n,. of improved'ieiciency.; It is another object? tog provide especially effec- V tivedainping' meansoratranslating unit having' rigidlysupportedportioxm Y It is another object to' provide a common trans-,

latifng device `for bothlrecordationand reproduction wherein excessive Vresponses'aticertain `frequencies in each of-'jsaid actionsjare'.eiectively.. '.suppress'edv "-l'lll' VA general` Objectis theprovisionofv an' iin- I proved phonograph for botliv the recordation and reproduction ofsound.. f

other and allied]objectswinnen funyapp'ear from the following description and the' appended; ciaim'sg i In .the detailed description of'a'preferredY embodiment of my invention, hereinafter set forth;

reference is-had of which? to the accompanying drawings,

. Figure r1 is a partial front elevationalwiew of a phonograph wherein my invention has beenv d ernloodiedifVv jp.

vFigure la is' a'plan View of the cradle. llhere; 1

inafter described, together with the portions o f the carriage which-supportlit; A .Y

Figure2 is a vertical cross-sectionalviewf taken principally along theline 2 -`-2 of Figure .1;,butf takenv centrally ofthe translating 'device' in theV and illustratirigf.akV `reproducing adjustmentglg'lf!" upper portion of that device Figure -3 Yis a View' esse nain/.similar Vto Figline 2 but illustrating a -rcerdingadjustment;

Figure 4 is a View essentially' sirrrilar-.to Figure Z'but illustrating 'a 'neutraladjustment ,f

Figure "5 is'a'- front elevational iview `ofy translating'-V device/ with the vibration dampers;Y j" iront casing-and cla'rnpinfr plate, hereiriafte'r.A

mentioned;removed;" 1 YFigure G is a verticaljcrcsssectional along the line 6-.6 of Figure 5;"

' Efigure 7 isan'enlargediront elevational View of the rocker systemY '120, showing portionsv irnrn'edi-1 improved means jl view taken I tive upper andlower carriage rods 2 and 3, parallel with the mandrel axis; along lthese rods a carriage is adapted to beslowly driven. simultaneously with rotation of the mandrel, for ex-v ample in a rightward direction as shown in Figure 1, as by a feeding arrangement conventional for cylindrical phonographs and not herein necessary to show.` The carriage 5 has been shown for examplef'as comprisingmutualltr `parallelLishaped lefthand andrighthand 'side frames 6 and l, respectively;..|a cylindricalcrossmernber 1 s terminaliy secured. between me fronttop ends ofthetwol side frames and Asurrounding, the upper carriage rod 2; and acylindrical orossrnemf;

ber Sterminally secured betweenthe rear bottom ends of the tvvo side. frames-and surrounding thelower carriage rod 3. VThe upper or vertically disposed portions of the L-sha-ped lside frames In frontJ or and below the mandrel I will .be seen the respec- 2,326,625 i I f back extending' cylinder 2l, from the ends 'of.

which extend pivoting rods 22. These rods may rest in central'slotsl extending downwardly from the top edges of the front and back upa' 'right portions of the bracket I5, the slots being wider than ,the diameter 4of the rods 22 but having bottoms Ilia which are'- V-shapecl (see Figure '7) and chamfered (see FigureS) to provide a -linear V-bearing for thepivoting rods 22'. The cylinder 2| may be loosely retained'against ac cidental upward dislodgment from the bearings just mentioned, and against more than minute B and'l extend downwardlyfrom the Aupixr carriagerc-d 2,'With the respective lower side frame portions Sa land Ia extending rearwardlytherefrom'to the lower carriage rod 3. lg y, Y 1 Between the side. frame portions taz-fand la there isl slidably held, for forward,andrearwlard movement, a cradle I0; a( plan View ofuthiscradle with only parts'or the carriage side -frame por-Y tions 6a and Vla appears as Figure 1a., The principal? `portie-noi 4the cradle vmay. conveniently be formed from flat stock, foldedinto a1L!-shapectV member whosebase -orriorwardly; disposed lcross-k portionis indicated as II, and whose sideportions I2 and I3 respectivelyliealainst the inner surfaces -otY the carriage sidegframe portions V6a and la; Each of these carriageportions maybe provided with horizontally kelongated holes or slots 'ISyinwardly through these slots and into threaded engagement Withgthegcnadle vside portions I2 and I3fmaynbe passed shouldered screws I9, the screws and slots formingV the support of the cradle to the carriage for forward andrearward sliding therein. A K K The cradle may be completed by a cross-inclA ber. I4 disposed somewhat behind and above the cross-portion .II Vand secured between the cradle side portions I2 and I3 (for example, to upwardlyY and inwardly extending ears IZdand-I'Sa formed from I2 and I3), and bya vertically disposed Ushapedbracket I5 extending rearwardly from the central portion of the cross-member I4;

if desired, this bracket may -beintegral with that l cross-'mernbery whichA latter Willthen formjhe iront upright ofthe ..U-shape. Y *A l Pivo'tallyA supported ,to the carriage, and more particularly to the-bracket-,IS ci cnadle I0, isa

rocker vsystem 2 ;,t he pivoting is for rotation 0f theirccker system in la plane parallel to the path of the carriage 5 ,and more particularly involves substantially `horizontally aligned pivots, ,for rol.

tation offthesysternV in a substantially/vertical side-to-side plane.; This rockersystem appearsA in enlarged detail inV Eiguresl'l and j8; Qitsimmediately pivoted portion mayfbe avfrontfandz- Ylongitudinal play in the bea-rings, by inverted L-shaped caps I1 screwed to the outer surfaces of the bracket uprights and spacedly overhang ing the rods 22. Y i f The rocker system further includes, secure with respect to the cylinder 2l, a side-to-side extending cylinder 23, intersecting the'cylinder 2| with its axis at right angles to and slightly lower than that of 2l and slightly` forward of `the longitudinal center Y of 2I pivoting rods '24, hereinafter further referred to,f.extending axially from-the ends of the cylinder 23; Vcrank-like.webs 2,5- extending downwardly a short distance from. `the kends of the cylinder 23; and locking rods 26,

hereinafter furtherreferredA to, extending-lout-V wardly yfrom the Vlower extremities of the ywebs 25, parallel with the axis of cylinder-.23. The entire rocker system is conveniently castfrom a, suitable metal,thepivoting rods 22vand Z and locking rods 26 being thereafterInachined.`

. 'Ij'he translating devicedescribedin detail here,- inbelow, is: pivoted to the rocker system-ie., to the pivoting rodsZ-ior stylus movementtoward, and preferably also bias against, the recordv The; action of the translating device4 may include reproduction from the record; andin connection With reproducing action thereds Well understood as desirable material-freedom of movement of thereproducing stylus inthe direction oicarriage travel (one function of which freedom issthe proper ftracking of the record 'grooveshelically Vformed for example in the surface of arecordedrecord). Such freedornrofmovernentislprovided by 'GhCVDVOtingof the rocker ,systeniltat);

and it'vmay beparticularly,pointed oututhat ac l j cording t0Y my invention this Afreedom :is provided not. merelyfor Vthe reproducing stylus or. for a limited portionof the translating device includ-` ingr the stylus, but for the entire device;a1l the pivoting being eiected externally tothe device. The action of the translating d evicem'ay include recordation upon the record; andin connection with vrrecording action :it is well understood .that

f there may be vundesirable'that freed'oiotstylus movement. which Yis so vdesirable'infccnnection with reproduction. That freedom ofQmovemen-t is accordingly eliminated-during recordation; andA it maybe particularly pointed out that with the pivoting Veffected whollyexternallyto thetrans-4 lating-device,this elirninlation may be eifected in a high simple and trouble-freemanner.

According toj the vpreferred embodiment@ my inyeiitipijime transiang sei/ice' is` siibstanpiaily'. kvertically arranged, preferably in `front of..the .revivre rather thanghorizontellv above-thence! l ord; This hasconsiderable advantage inrespect` of, compactness; of inherently greater safeguard@ ingV ofthe record from'unintende'dandfdamag-` ing contactsby variousinstrurnntalities in l'the handsof the operator of the rI'nachine,A sincethe carriage rods andV carragearemore scuarely in-v, Vterposed between him and the recordf of ease oi counterbalancng, since the maximum horizontal alsolis desirably provided with some damping in order that resonance'eifectsv involving that compliance shallnot attain Vvto undue amplitudes. I vpreferably provide in an integral, one-piece stylus holder 50 vthe most desirable coupling for each` stylus. ThisI do by forming the-holder of compliant material, preferably characterized by some Vconsiderable, internal damping; by holding the recordingfstylus 5I in the vholderclcse to the region of contact of the holder with the unit 3l; and byholding the reproducingstylus 52 inthe holder relatively vremote from that region-preferably near the end of a relativelyrthinvextendingV portion of the holder, wherein the compliant nature of the holder material has an opportunity to manifest itself.

The stylus holder so described has been disclosediin detail-and claimed in an application -ledas a division ,of this application, and now constituting Patent No. 2,267,693, issued Decem-l ber 23, 1941. 1

The construction of the stylus holder so described 'results in the reproducing stylusv 52 being displaced appreciably above the recording stylus 5 I the recording stylus preferably extending very on a largefdiameter (e.g., a new) record, and lowest whenreproducing from a small-diameter (e. g., amany-timesshaved) record; itis at a mean value,jand is thencaused to'lie substan-y tially atY the elevation ofthe rods'Zd, when recording on a small-diameter record and when reproducing from a large-diameter record. To nx the center of gravity as sc outlined there may be appropriately included in the translating device v pivot rods 2li; `and a vertically arranged screw 58, l primarily'for` fine adjustment of the vertical posislightly, and the reproducingstylus still a little more, rearwardly of the rear face of the translating. device frame 32. Ifthe parts are arranged, as shown, so'that when the translating device 39 Y is very approximately in a vertical plane the recording stylus is very approximately at Athe ele-- vation of the record axis, then with the translating device 39 extending downwardly from the styli in a vertical plane, or in the slightly'counterclockwise-from vertical plane illustrated in Figure 3, the engagement c1" a stylus with the record will be of the recording stylus 5l. Engagement of a stylus being caused by a rearward bias of the entire upper part of the translating device,'the conditions for recordation are established by a position of the forwardly-andrearwardly slidable cradle I9 which brings the pivotk rods- 24 substantially vertically underneath the styli, and the translating device into such .a position as illustrated in Figure 3. To establish the conditions for reproduction the cradle l0 may be moved to displace therods 2d appreciably forwardly; theY translating device, beingbiased to maintain stylus engagement, will rotate about the pivot rods 24 rearwardly in its vupper part, or clockwise as shown in Figures 2 and Y3- and, with a degreeof movement `which yet leaves the styli principally vertically disposed above the pivot 'rods 24 and thev translating device in the only Aslightly clockwise-irom-vertical position 'shown in Figure 2, the record-engaging stylus will f positionthat its elevation will never depart much Yfrom the` elevation of those pivot rods-in order that. neither the recording biasing force nor the somewhat lower reproducing biasing force shall be appreciablyvaried by expectablevariations Vin the diameter of the record R..` The center of.

gravity will of coursebe highest 'whenrecording tion of the `center ofk gravity. f

Beiorethe determination of the requirements'Y ior, a weight sucnas 55 the vtranslating device 3.3 mustof-course'be otherwise complete. The

illustrated translating device includes, in addi-` tion/to componentsv aready described, a pair of fine coiled conductors 29 connecting the transiating unit @Si with lelectrical work circuits for supplying oscillations to and/or receiving them from that unit; a5: pin projecting upwardly from the nose 35aof the rim 3%; a pair of damped .vibration absorbers Sli and 82'; and a front casing, 655 enclosing the absorbers. One cf the absorbers has been provided for the suppression, in

. recordaticn, of a rise in response and of spurious oscillation tendencies both occurring at that low frequency whereat'the effective mass of the translating deviceV Sil. as seen at the ,recording stylus 5i resonates with the dynamic compliance of the record (i. e.; the restoring -orce developed on the recording stylus per unit penetration into the moving record). The otherof the absorbers has been provided'fory the suppression, in reproduction, of the rise in response atthat also-low (though usually distinct from the last-mentioned) requency whereat the effective Vmass of the translating device 3i! resonates with the effective complianceoi the coupling means for the reproducing stylus v.'i2'.(e. g., of theholder extension portion Stic). These absorbers are cantilever-mounted to the lowerv portion of` the clamping plate ii each may be of the general form disclosed in my `co-pending. application, Serial No. 149,861, led June 23, 1937, now Patent No. 2,177,692, issued October 31, 1939, wherein an absorber was shown particularly for the first ofthe two abovementioned `functions. f

The description of the translating device v3i) having been completed, attention may-be directed to the illustrated means for selectively Ypositioning the cradle It) and hence selectively conditioning the translating device for recordation and reproduction. YThese means may in,

yclude `a .tension springtll biasing the cradle to a rearward or recording position; this springmay be terminaily secured between an ear 'lb-downhangingfrom the rear of the carriage side-frame portion 7a. and an ear' |311 downhanging from the cradle side portion I3 near its rear extremity. These means. may further include a lever 'Il for moving thecradle.forwardlyagainst its bias; this lever vmay be a vertical one, journalled about the upper `cylindrical .carriage cross-membert and` heldvcen'trally thereof by cylindrical bush;

which may. be at'approximately 'the elevation ofV the bottom of the carriage, the lever may be widened in a frontend-back directicn and provided with upwardly extendingfront recess le, centralv recessie', andA redrrecess le.. A detent to engage these recesses may be provided Aby a cylindrical cross-'nember fil, supportedras a forwardly'extendingbail from ears tic and ic downhanging from the `central portions of theY carriage side frameportions 5a and la, and upwardly biased as by tension spring Y'I8 between it and a pin vsecured in the carriage side frame 'i thereabove. The cradle to is provided with a bracket 88 extending forwardly from its forward cross-portion li, and carrying a horizontal transverse pin 8i which Y'ex-tends in front of the lever l! a little above the lower extremity of the lever. 'When the knob i3 occupies a forward :position and the detent il'engages Athe front recess-l5, the cradle is permitted to occupyits rearward position-the recording position shown in Figure 3.' Vlhen'the knob -13 is moved somewhat'rear wardly yso that the centralrecess 'i5 is engaged by the detent il, thev lever 'H moves forwardlyV forwardly the upperiportion ofl the arm-82; the

Apin 49 wilibe engaged inthe rear apex 83a'0f the'- aperture and lmoved forwardly, centralizing the translating device 30`from Vside to the styli from the record.

It may herebe notedthat while the reproducing l f stylus 52 'is' centered in the translating device, the

recordingstylus'l and the boss .'ib'in which yit is held are offset slightlyiri the direction toward which the carriage is caused to travel; accordinglyif-the apparatus hasbeen used to reproduce'to the enjdef matter alreadyrrecorded on`v a record, its readjustment by knob-'I3 for further recordation on the record-will be certainto engage the recordmg stylus vwith a fresh record portieri; Y

" when the knob v1a is in as rearward@ reproducing position and the cradle l0 accordin'gly'in itsforward position, therocker system and with it the entire translating device arejree to rotate about the rocker system pivot rods 22, 'providing'. the requisite freedom of movement of thert-pro-V ducing stylus 52 in an arc on the record essentially parallel to the path ofthe carriage. Since the center of .gravity of the translating device'v during reproduction is always approximately at or' slightly below the elevation of the pivot rods 24, and since this elevation is slightly' below that of the vrocker system pivot rods 22, thecenter' of the pin iii andhence thevcradle i toan inter-A mediate positicn-illustrated'in Figurefi, When'- the knob rif `is movedstill further rearwardly so thatl the 'rear recess 'i5 is engaged by the detent l?, the lever H moves-further forwardly the pin 8! and'hence the cradle to, to the reproducing position illustrated in Figure 2. p

The intermediate cradle position illustrated in Figure a is a "neutral position, wherein it is desirable that both Vstyli be disengagedfrom the record. Accordingly there may be Vprovided means, operated by the lever 'Il when the knob 1,3

andthe levez` are in their central or neutral posi` tions, for moving forwardly the pin 43 at the top of the translating device and thus effecting stylus disengagement from theV record. This means gravity during reproduction is always definitely below the rocker system pivoting;L Further, not

merely because the rocker ysystem is small relative to the translating device, but in any event because the` center of gravity ofthe rockerl system is itselfiby virtue ofy its illustrated and described Y configuration) below the Vlin-e of rocker .system pivoting, the center 'of gravity of the translating device androcker system,ftaken together, is like-V wise definitely below-the rocker system pivoting. it isfiby virtue of thisY arrangement that the simple action-offgravity onthe entire .translating device lightly biaseszthe reproducing stylus to' amean Y. position within its arc of free movement. 'For the may include an arm 82, pivoted toanear 6b extending rearwardly from an `intermediate point on the vertical portion of carriage side frame 6; extending upwardly from its pivotrto -the elevation of pin L39 and being there folded over and provided with a relatively large diamond-shaped aperture n 83 surrounding the pia (see Figure 2a); extending forwardly from its pivot and having the portion S4 folded toward the lever 1l; and terminating near the lever in an upwardly directedcam S5 disposed in a front-and-back vertical plane. The forwardly extending portion of the arm 82; is

biased upwardly as by tension spring 81 terminally secured between it and a pin 88 secured in the carriage side frame 5 thereabove. A pin SS is secured in the lower portion of the lever 1l to extend leftwardly therefrom toward the cam 85. The relative positions of .the pin 85 and cam 5 are such that when the lever knob 'i3 is in its rearward position the front surface of the cam, and when the knob is in its forward position the rear surface of the cam, will be in contact with the pin; and the arm 82 is so forme-d that under either of these conditions .the sides of the aperture 83 will in no way interfere with stylus engagement with the record. As the leverll is moved to its central or neutral position, however, the pin 86 will ride up to the top of the cam 85, forcing the cam downwardly and hence moving precise adjustment of this mean position the center of gravity of the translating device may be adjusted horizontally parallel to the carriage path;

4 and for effecting this adjustment I have shown .in the heel 35 ofthe translating device yframe 32 a pair of horizontally aligned screws 59, one on each side of the center of the heel.

Y When the knob 13 is in its central or neutral positionfand the cradle l0 accordingly in its central position, the rocker system and translating.

device areV still left free to rotate about the rods 22; but the gravity-caused engagement of pin t9 in the aperture apex 83a in arm 32 then insures a denite centralization of thetranslating device from side to side.v

When the knob 13 is in its forward or recording position and the cradle I!) accordingly in its rearward, position, the then desirable elimination of freedom of stylus movement parallel to the carriage path may be efiected by then automatically locking the rocker system against rotation'about its pivot rods 22. The'means for performing this locking may comprise the locking rods v26 already described as a part of the rocker system 20, the spring 'HJ already described, and two cam surfaces 9c respectively carried by the carriageside frame portions 6a, and 'ia-against which surfaces the spring lil, acting through the cradle laforces the locking rods 26. These cam surfaces may comprise the respective lower edges of respective lug portions 9i extending upwardly and forwardly from the rear of the side-frame portions 6a and la, respectively. It will be understood that these side and lifting surfaces 90 are solpositionedrelative to .thel other components that, in a forward movement of knob 13 and accompanying rearward movement ofthe lower portion of lever l I, the locking rods 24 will be locked against the cam surfaces 90 and the cradle I so establishedfin'its recording position justbefore the detent l1 fully engages thefront recess 14; this has been indicated by the minute spacing of pin 8| in front of lever 'H inFigure 3.V

While I have illustrated and described my invention in terms oa preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that I intend no unnecessarylimitations by virtue of the details of that embodiment, as there will be readily suggested to those skilled in the art various modifications,

many of them Wide, which may still lie-within thev true spirit and proper scope of the invention. In

'many of the appended claims I undertake to ex-V engagement of said stylus with theA record havinga center of gravity at'approximately the elevation of, and displaced towardthe record from, the line-of pivoting of said device. J l,

2. In a phonograph including means iorjsupporting a record and a carriage movable ina path adjacent the record: 'the combination of ao-Vrocker system pivoted in the Vcarriage along a substan tially horizontal axis transverse to said path; a translating device pivoted to said rocker system Y record; and a record-engaging stylus included in said portion, said device during the engagement of said stylus with the record having a center of gravity at approximately the elevation of the line of its pivoting, and said device extending principally vertically upwardly from said line to Said stylus.

3. In a phonograph including means for sup.- porting arecord: the combination of a translating device having mounting pivots vsupporting it with the upper portion of the device adjacent the record;v a pair of vertically displaced Styli vincluded in said upper portion of the device, said portion being biased toward the record whereby to bring one of said styli into engagement with the record, and said styli being principally vertically disposed above theaxis of said pivots when either is in such engagement; and means connected with said pivots for moving them in a substantially horizontal direction, whereby to rock said device about said pivots and thereby control the stylus engagement with the record selectively as to the two styl.

4. In a phonograph including means for effecting movement of a record: the combination of a translating device having mounting pivots supporting it with a portion of the device adjacent the record; a pair of styli included in said portion, said styli being displaced, in the direction of i the record movement adjacent them, from each 'other and from theaxis of said pivots, and said portion being biased toward the record whereby to bring one of said styli into engagement with the record; and means connected with said pivots for moving themv transversely to said direction,

whereby tov rock saidV device about said pivots and therebycontrol the stylusengagement with the record selectively as to the two Styli. Y

vMICHAEL J. DI Tono. 

